Where to shoot simulated game: seven UK venues for the summer and the syndicate

A simulated game day puts the clays where the birds would be: off a woodland edge, out of game cover, over a hedge or across a line of butts, with the Guns standing at pegs exactly as they will in November. For the shoot owner it is a way to earn from the ground between seasons; for the keeper, the syndicate Gun and the farmer who shoots, it is the honest way to get the swing back before the first partridge day. Fieldsports Journal picked seven of the best venues in the country, from the Yorkshire Wolds to the Cotswolds, Cambridgeshire and mid-Wales, and several of them are working shoots that have built the simulated day into the estate’s year. Prices are as published at the time of writing and may have changed; some are quoted before VAT (value added tax) and some after.

Yorkshire

1. Raisthorpe Flyers

Price on application

Raisthorpe Flyers runs its simulated days from Raisthorpe Manor, an award-winning venue in the Yorkshire Wolds near Malton, and its name will be familiar to most keepers and shoot owners. Corporate days, syndicate outings and teams of friends are all catered for; the cartridges are waiting on the peg when you get there, the atmosphere is relaxed and the newly built “tree house”, known as the Covey, has quickly become a favourite with returning teams.

Five-star food and drink is part of the day, and the hospitality has earned Raisthorpe a reputation that The Telegraph summed up as “simply one of the best simulated game shoots in the UK”. Days run throughout the summer, and bookings are now being taken for Saturdays through the autumn, which for a syndicate is a useful way to keep the team together between shoot days.

Tel 01377 288295

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Cotswolds

2. Lady’s Wood

From £220 + VAT per Gun; full teams and single pegs available

Lady’s Wood runs some of the finest simulated days in the country across four venues, among them Brimpsfield Park, Stoke Edith and Chavenage, on terrain that gives the drives real variety. The days are designed by Chris Hanks, a respected shoot host and instructor who is himself an experienced keeper, which shows in the way the drives are set: they simulate what a game Gun sees in the season, and they are run properly but without fuss.

Hospitality draws on a mix of shoot lodges and local pubs, and the optional extras run to a private chef, instructors, gun hire and cartridges. Chris and his team are also experienced at bringing the shoot to you, running a number of private days each year for syndicates and landowners on their own ground: a good excuse to get the whole team together in the off season, and a way for a shoot to try a simulated day on its own drives before committing to one. For further information, contact Chris.

Tel 01454 294546

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Buckinghamshire

3. North Crawley Estate

Price on application

North Crawley is a family-run estate of 2,500 acres, and its simulated days come with something the shoot owner will recognise at once: a genuine connection to the farming, the woodland and the conservation that sit at the heart of how the place is run.

The simulated game reflects the estate’s own game shoot, which is rooted in tradition, respect for the quarry and the plain pleasure of good sport in good company. Hundreds of acres of annual bird cover crops and the work of a passionate gamekeeper keep the habitat thriving, for pheasants and for the songbirds and wider farmland wildlife alongside them, so a summer visitor sees the ground as a keeper would want it seen.

An hour from London, Cambridge and Oxford, the estate is easy to reach and yet feels remote. Guests can take relaxed daytime or evening simulated drives, or classic driven days in the season, which suits a team fitting its shooting around work as well as one wanting a complete escape. Hearty estate cooking is served in the newly refurbished shoot room.

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Warwickshire

4. Grove Park Estate

Price on application; 8 – 16 Guns

Sweeping views, rolling hills and sharp changes in elevation give Grove Park the ground for a series of carefully designed simulated drives that recreate the excitement and challenge of a traditional game day. Guests are met by the estate’s attentive and experienced hosts, and the day runs seamlessly in a relaxed and sociable atmosphere, with a series of carefully curated food breaks between drives that many teams count as the highlight.

The sport is challenging and fast-paced, and it closely mirrors the real thing: the drives are set around the natural features of the estate, with around 3,500 clays presented from woodland edges, game cover and over hedgerows. For those who want something closer to the rhythm of the season, Grove Park also offers bespoke smaller days designed to mirror the character of classic pheasant and partridge shooting.

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Bryngwyn Estate, Powys

5. Double Barrelled Shooting

£285 + VAT per Gun; 12 – 20 guests; single Gun days available

Set in the stunning topography of mid-Wales, the Bryngwyn Estate offers top-quality simulated days for experienced and inexperienced Guns alike, and is widely regarded as one of the best simulated game shoots in the country. A typical day covers five drives with a minimum of 250 clays per person.

The variety is the point: 16 drives of high pheasant and partridge and three lines of grouse butts, on ground steep enough to test anyone who has spent the summer on a lowland clay layout. Fully qualified instructors and gun hire are available, and the hosts have a reputation for providing excellent sport.

Every day includes the renowned Bryngwyn Hall hospitality: a full cooked breakfast, a three-course lunch in the Hall’s dining room, refreshments after each drive and tea, cake and drinks at the end of the day. Non-shooting guests and novices are welcome, and there is luxurious accommodation in Bryngwyn Hall for a team making a weekend of it. To book or for more information, contact Lady Linlithgow.

Tel 01691 648647

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Wiltshire and Northamptonshire

6. Shooting School UK

From £200 to £475 per Gun; individual pegs or full teams (16 – 30)

Shooting School UK’s simulated days combine serious shooting with hospitality of a different order. Hosted by Edward Notley Kent, the events pair expertly organised drives with cooking from a selection of renowned chefs, and guests can choose the format: the Chef’s Table Experience in the field, where courses are served between drives as the Guns gather round the table before returning to their pegs, or Stately Home, Country Pub and No-Frills days, or even a Shotgun Wedding package.

Whether you come as an individual Gun or as a syndicate, each event is built to be memorable and indulgent, with menus that can run from lobster to wagyu. Venues include Burton in Wiltshire, Shuckburgh Hall in Northamptonshire and Euridge Manor in Wiltshire, and the team also offers a bespoke mobile service for private estates that want a simulated day on their own ground. These events have earned a loyal following, with guests returning year after year.

Find out more at shootingschooluk.com and simulatedgamedays.com.

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Cambridgeshire

7. Six Mile Bottom

From £195 to £450 per Gun

Established in 2003 and run by Richard and Jackie Clarke, Six Mile Bottom Shoot sits in the Cambridgeshire countryside close to the Suffolk and Essex borders, and it operates all year round, so a team can book a simulated day in any month the calendar allows.

Driven targets of grouse, rabbit, pheasant and partridge are presented in realistic drives from pegs or butts, with all the feel of a traditional live game day. Participants shoot in teams of four or five, rotating around a variety of stands set in the woods, with friendly and experienced instructors on hand to offer guidance and keep the day relaxed and sociable for Guns of all abilities.

A range of tailored packages suits individuals, groups, exclusive hire and corporate or charity events, and elevenses and a homemade lunch are included. For more information, contact Jackie at jackie@smbshoot.co.uk.

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